Autographic register



T. DAVIE JSON ET AL 2,457,807

AUTOGRAPHIG REGISTER Filed May 21, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS uomv TDA V/D50A/ Y OHNHKROEMER Jan. 4, 1949. J; T. DAVIDSON ET AL 2,457,807

AUTOGRAPHI Cv REGISTER Filed May-21, 1 942 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.5 15 4 1] 55 INVENTOR S g3 JOHN IDA v/pso/v I OHN .KROEMER 1 Kim ATT/ORNEY Jan. 4, 1949. J, T, DAWSON ET AL 2,457,807

AUTOGRAPHI C REGISTER Filed May 21, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTORS dOH/V IDA V/D50A/ Patented Jan. 4, 1949 UNITED 2 ,4'57,s ow

AUIQGBABHIC m .l'oh n l eavia'bumandtiohmm moemwnawona' hio;.-as1slgnons,:to 'llhe stahdevd lte'gisten Comnannullaytcnl lhimia cbnmmtinmofitbhio? Application May'ZIl1942, serial-No; 13,944;

lie-Gimme (craze-1s;

charactensties': afld" mode er operation herein described, K Withthe above primary am otherincidental obj eots View as more fully appear the 1, specification; the invention intended to be pro= Oman-summon; tli'epar-t'sahd combinations, t ere--- of; and'the m'ocl e of operation; or theireqiiivalefita as herifiaftei described: or illustrated inthe ab? sure-and pressure operating "means therefor. The; Q compallymgL drawingsstrip feeding or ej ectingmeans illustrated is of the pin wheel type, but obviouslyfrictional'or other feeding means-maybe substitutedtherefbrt,

The strip feeding devices may be ofihepositive traveling pin typeg conventional friction rol-le'rs; or- 01 other form; the former being herein shown, and described. Thef-eeding'deyicesareactuated: to advance the-record) strips one form length at each operation by a pull stroke-,ofsliding j actua? tor, the initial movement qffwhich'serves-tore lease" the;- normally locked strip feeding' devices and to temporarily'raiseiduring the" strip feeding; pe d. a am bar n ar-of knife? ichi automatically! returned; into clampingj engage? mentwith the strips; at the n ji Oif the" st'ljlfli feedingmov'ement; preparatorwtbj'tlleiisllficefidingt operation.

The prim ry jec -tu t heinventmniisi'tb 1m prqv th on c on s. Wll? asith'e means and" mode" of" operation of" antograp w r y h me nqtbnl e econ ca1Iy;c.0ri1-.- structed'; but will be f more efiilcierit use, 1 auto, mat c in opveiatiomiun prm. n action; have; nun, few-moving p r s;- an li lunllk lyftof etiout of rep'air.

A further ob'l' 91%. 0f, 1 the invention is.- to provide a portable register oi ,1 light weight .L and compact form; convenient shape and well ibalanced' con struction.

A further object of the ir yentionis tomproyide an proved actua vmea islfor.the st ip f ad.- ing or ejecting; devices.;

A further. obj ect o fthe invention-demo provide a normally, locked, easilizr. released" actuating;- means.

A further objectlofthe inventionismto provide, a pull stroke. operatingmeans. for thestrip feed ing devices.

A further object of the inventionislto provide? automatic locking means fg'r. the strip.- feegilir g devices e eas ble. b the ni ia mo ement n the: actuating device.

A (further- 1 object of theinvention-- is l to -provide m ans olr, aut mat al yiraisi e ie amps: are ancljtearoff knife .Fb y thewmo /ement ot the gig-rim feed actuating deyice.

Am irther objecteithernv ntion s ito- Provide; n :auto raphic re is having 313111 advantageous;

structural,-lfeaturesandlthe einhetenttmerltoricusn6c re isters. 3

; b fifafmmstlie cabinet iOIThOIISill ornamental design; the =sh'ape an apeearanceee Ihkthe era-win a wherei'ri is shownthe preferred but obvieu'sl riotnecessarily the only form of embodiment df tlie' invention; h

Fig? 1- is a perspective view- 0f anassembled? ven'tiem- I v N Fig: 2 is a revei'se perspeetiiieviewthereofshow lngi the oalzviriet storage compartment open and receiV-in'g a detached record sheet.

Rig. 3 11s a persp'ective view" of the; assembled register with th'e lidof the cabinet raised to" expose: the encloseli unit V longitudinal sectional-viewf spending: to:- a pa'rt of Fl'g-s 6; shoW-ing the parts" in r operated P0 Fig; 10 is'a detairview'b'f the operatingmecha nismlfor thez storag e cbmpartnient aoor;-'

the aetuwtingiand e3 ector m'eehamsmsa Bike:- parts, are indicated by slmilaicharacters or reterence 'sthroughoiitv th'e several views The: autographic-z" register illustrated in the" drawings; comprises as complete operating unit which is; normallyenclosed in and bodily remow The latter isbf h mc mzx biewidiyvvariee withb 1;- interfering? thlz 1 6: enclosed: operating; unit; w traiiedszandi describeclisa-s a I portable registe the (5014 Sam omanatogousconstruction may be ernb'odi'edrf ma taitionary counter-ordsk 'registere Thechousing :ior cabinetis 'divideol 011a medial plan 'sintoi'a-lower--pan-1ike-=section I ilT'Wh'i'Ch fozzdt-therebneath a storage-*cdmpartment 4'5 to" perspeetivefview 'of theregis ten'unit -3: remove from' the cabir'ieti H Fig; 6 ist a sidef elevation of 'the registerunit rembvedafrbmi the: cabin'eti with the operating" detail sectiofia-lview "illustrating the 35 cleizir'essible' storage" compartment door operator:

e: per-Ming:- unit isfnibuntd-j ari'dan 'upperlidv section 2, hinged 'at 3 -to the =lovier section! The cabinet";isppreferablyimolded' fi om a plastic or record material strips disposed upon the writing 1' tablet. The forward portion of the openin 6 is enlarged at l to afford an exit opening for the inscribed forms and to accommodate a clamp bar and tear-01f knife therefor. At the rear end of the cabinet a spring latch 8 accessible from the under side thereof releasably. locks the cabinet sections I and 2 in closed relation.

The operating unit comprises a box-like body, 1

having a bottom [0, vertical side walls H, and a flat top I2 which serves as a writing tablet. The unit is open at its opposite ends. The rear extremity of the bottom i0 is formed with an upturned flange l3. At its forward end the unit is provided with strip feeding and ejecting devices.

For illustrative purposes, but without intent to unduly limit the invention thereto, the feeding means illustrated comprises a pair of revoluble pin wheels l4 mounted on a transverse shaft [5, which is journaled in the side walls ll of the unit. The peripheries of the pin wheels l4 project through slots IS in the forward end of the writing tablet l2 into-feeding engagement with marginally punched holes in the record strips. A packet l! of zigzag folded superposed continuous record strips is placed in the supply compartment within the unit and the strips are fed therefrom through the rear open end of the unit and thence over the top of the writing tablet 12 to the projecting pins of the pin wheels l4 which extend through the slots l6 at the front of the writing tablet. Overlying the writing tablet are a plurality of strips of transfer or record material iii-supplied from a roll mounted in the brackets i9 and on the side of the unit, and transversely interleaved between the portions of the superposed record strips I1 disposed over the writing tablet,

At the side of the unit opposite the transfer material supply roll, the extended ends of the transfer material are held by a clamp bar 24, upon release of which the used areas of .the transfer material may be withdrawn to present fresh areas in manifolding position, and the exhausted portions thereof are torn ofi. At the rear end of the writing tablet the record strips [1 are directed between spaced guide bars 2i of a swinging rack 22, pivoted to the sides ll of the unit. The guide bars 2| carry short fabric shields 23 which overlap the margins of the interleaved transfer strips to prevent interference and mutilation by the relatively moving record strips.

For driving the pin wheels l4 or other strip feeding and ejecting devices through a prescribed range necessary to advance the record strips l1 one form length at each operation there is journaled in a side wall ll of the unit a stub shaft 25 carrying a gear pinion 26 meshing a button or handle 32 which projects beyond the cabinet and is mounted for to and fro sliding motion in a slotted guide track 33 secured in spaced relation to the side of the register unit. The guide slot in the track bar 33 has a notch or depression 34 at the forward end of its lower margin. vThe operator slide 32 is provided with two spaced studs 35 which ride in the guide slot, one of which is depressed into the notch 34 at the forward limit of its range of travel. The retractive influence of the chain is exerted upon the .slide sufiiciently above the level of the guide slot "and in a downwardly inclined relation to urge the forward track engaging stud 35 of the slide into the notch as the slide is returned after each operatiQI The'manual retraction of the slide handle 32 retracts the bead chain 29 against the tension of the spring 38 and by drawing the chain about the grooved pulley 28, the shaft 25 and gears 262's' are rotated sufficiently to actuate the pin wheel shaft l5 and pin wheels [4 through one complete rotation.

Pivoted at 36 to the side of the unit is an oscillatory lever 37, the forward end of which is beveled and overlies the foremost stud 35 of the slide handle when the latter is in its normal or home position when such stud is in the notch or depression 34. The notch 34 is sufficiently abrupt to lock the slide in its retracted position, and to necessitate an initial rockin motion by which the stud is lifted from the notch preparatory to retraction of the slide handle. Such locking engagement prevents accidental movement of the handle and feed devices.

The necessary unlocking rocking motion of the slide handle lifts the lever 31. The latter carlies a stud or roller 38 with which engages a dewith a gear 21 on the pin wheel shaft 15. At its end of the actuator chain is attached to a side.

pendent portion 39 of a rock arm 40 also pivoted at 36 concentrically with the lever 37. At the opposite side of the unit is a corresponding rock arm 4| of somewhat different shape, but pivoted on the same tranverse shaft 35 and movable in unison with the rock arm 4|] and with the lever 3?. Connecting the rock arms 40 and 4| across the top of the writing tablet slightly in advance of the pin wheels I4 is a duofunctional clamp bar and tear-off knife 42 which presses downwardly under influence of a spring 43 upon the forward end of the record strips l'l' while they are being inscribed, and securely holds the strips against relative shifting motion. The bar 42 is notched for passage of the feeding pins of the pin wheels I4 and retains the strips H in feeding engagement therewith.

However, the unlocking rotation of the slide handle which lifts the lever 31 thereby rocks the arms 40 and 4| against the yielding resistance of the retractile spring 43 to slightly lift the clamp bar and tear-off knife 42 and thereby release the record strips for advancement. The

bar 42 is normally locked in its depressed position by a spring actuated pivoted detent 44 having a stud 45 which engages in a notch 46 in the rock arm 40. The arm '31 carries a stud 41 margin of the'le'ver 31 normally engages to lock 3 cameos the feed devices. The elevationrof. the lever lifts the tooth on out of the disc notch rto omlock the strip feeding dev-ices simultaneously with the elevation of the clamp "bar. "The initial'pull upon the bead chain 29 incident to the 'unlockingtoperation .of the slide handle imparts an advance 71'0- tary motion to the .gro'o've'd pu'lley 28 and and with them the notched disc 49'. llhe'initial advancement :of the pulley and shaft imoves the periphery of :the disc 419 under the tooth 50 to hold the lever t'l elevated and with :it' the clamp bar i2, until the. feed-devices have :completed a full cycle of operation and the notch in the "disc '49. is returned. to position to receive the tooth :50... This occurs as the slidehandlerea'ches the limit .of its ipull stroke, which lmovement ejects the inscribed portion of. the strip .and radvances a succeedingiorm length. into writing position. The advancement of the slide handle rotates the grooved pulley 28 which carries a spring pressed driving pawl 51. having engagement'with a shouldered disc-or one tooth ratchet wheel 52 secured to the shaft 25 tothereby drive the strip feeding devices. Duringreturn of the slide handle to its normal orstarting position, the

grooved pulley 28 rotates idly on the shaft25, and the pawl 5| rides .idly over the shouldered disc'52 until it drops back of the shoulder thereof preparatory to another feeding operation.

The descent of the lever 31 as the tooth 'fifl 'drops into the notch of the disc '49 'at the end of the feeding operation permits the clamp bar and tear-off blade 42 to drop .onto the advanced portion of the record strips under influence of "the spring 53 and holds the strips under pressure until the nextieeding operation. SIlhe advanced inscribed portions of the strips beyond the clamp bar 42 are then torn off against the said bar, which also serves as a tear-off Lknife.

One or more of the detached inscribed record sheets maybe stored Within the compartment "4; The 'flapdoor 5 of the storage compartment may be controlled by a push button, lever, or other device, but in the present instance a limited de pressiblersection 53 of the cabinet :lid .2 lie utilized-for this purpose. The door operator section 53 is pivoted to a bracket -5'4,"as shown in Fig. 9, and overhangs the outturned end 55 of one arm 56 of a bell crank lever, the other arm 51 of which engages in a bifurcated plate '58 secured to the flap door 5. The depressible cabinetsection 53 is conveniently positioned beneath the operators thumb when graps'ing the cabinet in the usual manner, as shown in Fig.2. LBy. squeezing the cabinet upon the area '53,..the .fiap door 5 is opened to receive the detached-sheets. A retracing spring '5' .serves to close the door 5 and to restore the depressed section 53;

In Fig. 6 the clamp and tear-off bar is shown by dotted lines elevated to an extereme position to enable the register to be more conveniently loaded, and the record :strips initially :engaged with the pin wheels. The bar "42 is temporarily held in such position by engagement of the stud 45 .of the oscillatory detent 44 beneath the offset 45" of the arm 40. To prevent the register cover being closed while the bar 42 is in suchelevated positiona finger 59 issecured to the interior of the register lid, which in the closingmovement will contact the detentstud 45 and disengage it from the swinging armtfl, which is then retracted by itsispring 43. Itis thus impossible to close the lid with the clam and tear-off bar in elevated position. H

To provide clearance for the moving feeding pins pf the 2pm wheels M, "the :margin :of the opening in the lid2is notched eit 63 .on its inner side. The projection "of the lid at "opposite sides of the notches '60 belowthe ends of the passing pins maintains the imarginally punched strips in feeding engagement with the pin wheels and restrains them from iu-mping on during iopieration. I

"While the pin wheel shaft i5 and the trans-- mission shaft 2:5 -may be .jo'urna'led directly in the sides ll of the register unlt,theyareipreferably journaled in a molded plastic panel" Ha, the sides of which are :groove'd for :removalole engagement inia corresponding slot or recess :in the metal side walls I I :of theregister'unit. I

This construction enables the pin Wheels and the motion transmitting :mec'hanism, including the "driving gears iztiand 1-21, the pulley 28 and locking disc '49 'to be easily removed and replaced as :a unit or =sub-iassembly without dismantling the register unit.

The construction is :such that the initial rocking motion of the operator knob "32 which unlocks the register by lifting the stop 50 out of the notch in the disc =49 also exerts su'fiicient tension of the actuating cable to advance the notched disc :sufiiciently to advance the disc beheath the stop and prevent its return until the disc 49 and "the associated parts have completed a full cycle of operation. l

From the above description it will be apparent that-there is thus provided a device of the char a'oter described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated :as desirable, out

. which obviously is susceptible of modification in its "form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any or its advantages.

While in i order to comply with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific :as to structural ieatures, it is to be understood that the invention 'is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise the preferred form of several modes of putting the invention into -eiiect, and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appendedclaims.

fiaving thus described our invention, we claim:

1. Stripfeedinglapparatus 'for an autograp hic register -wherein strip feeding devices are operative to intermittently advance a continuous strip of record"materialpasta recording position, including a revoliible pulley, a reciprocatory 'belt engaging the pulley, a 'r'etractory spring to which one end of the belt is attached, a rec'iprocatory slide 'to which-the other: end of the belt is attached by alternation of which rotary motion is trans- Iriitted cto ithe pulley, a guide way -for the recip rlocatorysslide having thereln a configuration with which the slide is releasablyengageable at such point in-its path of travel to temporarily lock the strip feeding devicesand from which theslide is manually releasable preparatory to subsequent operation of the strip feeding devices, and a driving cou pling :between the pulley 1 and the :3, feeding fdevices effective to :actuate the feeding devicesduringrotationsof the pulley in'one direction :but enabling lidlei rotation 'of the pu'lley in the opposite dlre'ctionrunderinfluence ofthe belt.

2. Strip feeding apparatus for an :autographic register whereinicontinuousistrips of record mate-- rial are {progressively advanced past :a :recording position including strip feeding devices engaging the strips, 2. reciprocatory actuator therefor capable of limited rocking motion additional to its reciprocatory motion, means with which the reciprocatory actuator is engageablev to lock the actuator against motion and from which it is disengaged by an initial rocking motion preparatory to reciprocatory motion and motion transmitting means by which the motion of the reciprocatory actuator in one direction is transmitted to the strip feeding devices.

3. An autographic register wherein continuous strips of record material are progressively advanced past a recording position predetermined distances at each operation, includinga strip feeding mechanism therefor, a locking device normally holding the feeding mechanism inoperative, a clamp bar normally holding the record strips against movement, an actuator capable of rocking and sliding motion, and means for unlocking the strip feeding mechanism and raising the clamp bar by the ro-cking'motion of the actuator and for actuating the strip feeding mechanism to advance the strips a predetermined distance by the subsequent sliding motion of the actuator.

4. An autographic register wherein continuous strips of record material are progressively advanced predetermined distances past a recording position, including strip feeding mechanism, an actuator therefor capable of rocking and sliding motion, detent means for releasably holding the actuator in its retracted home position from which it is released by an initial rocking motion, and motion transmitting devices by which subsequent sliding motion of the actuator is transmitted to the strip feeding mechanism to advance the record strips.

5. An autographic register wherein continuous strips of record material are progressively advanced predetermined distances past a recording position, including strip feeding mechanism, a sliding actuator therefor, a slotted guide in which the actuator is engaged for to and fro motion, said slot having therein a notch, a stud carried by the sliding actuator engageable in said notch by a rocking motion of the sliding actuator at the limit of its range of travel, and from which it is disengaged preparatory to sliding motion by reverse rocking motion, and motion transmitting devices bywhich the sliding motion of the actuator is transmitted to the strip feeding mechanism.

6. A portable autographic register wherein continuous strips of record material are progressively advanced predetermined distances past a recording position, including strip feeding mechanism, a rotary drive shaft therefor, detent means locking the shaft in a fixed position, a pulley mounted on said shaft, a one way coup-ling device interconnecting the pulley and shaft for independent rotation in One direction and unison rotation in the other direction, a belt forming a bight within which the pulley is engaged, a retractile spring connected to one end of the belt, a reciprocatory operator handle having fore and aft straight line movement in a plane intermediate the top and bottom of the register connected to the other end of the belt, and detent release means actuated thereby, the construction and arrangement being such that the to and fro motion of the handle is transmitted by the belt to the pulley, and the motion of the latter in one direction only is transmitted to the strip feeding mechanism by said one way coupling.

7. A portable autographic register wherein continuous strips of record material are progressively advanced predetermined distances past a recording position, including strip locating means, a strip feeding mechanism, a drive pulley with which,ithe strip feeding mechanism is connected for unison rotation in one direction but independently of which the pulley is reversely revolubljev a pull belt formed into a U shaped bight engaging the pulley and longitudinally movable thereabout under manual pulling effort applied to one. end of the belt, a reciprocatory fore and aft manually operable slide to which the end of the belt is connected and a retractile spring attached to the other end of the belt against the yielding resistance of which the belt is longitudinally movable to rotate the pulley under manual pulling effort applied to the first mentioned end of the belt, and an interlock preventing movement of the belt until after release of the strip locking means.

8. A portable autographic register wherein continuous strips of record material are progressively advanced predetermined distances past a recording position, including strip feeding mechanism, dual detents therefor, actuating means therefor including a drive shaft, a pulley loose upon the shaft for rotation in one direction, a pawl and ratchet connection operatively engageable upon rotation of the pulley in the opposite direction for rotating the drive shaft in unison therewith, a longitudinally movable belt including a U shaped bight thereof engaged about the pulley, a retractile spring attached to one end of the belt, against the yielding resistance of which the belt is longitudinally movable, a reciprocatory slide handle to which the other end of the belt is attached, and detent release means operative upon movement of the slide handle, the construction and arrangement being such that manual movement of the slide handle exerts a pulling efiort upon the belt against the tension of the retracting spring to effect rotation of the pulley in one direction, the return rotation thereof and retraction of the belt being effected by reaction of the spring.

9. An autographic register wherein continuous strips of record material are progressively advanced predetermined distances past a recording position, including strip feeding mechanism, a movable clamp bar for holding the record strips in their advanced position, and actuator for the strip feeding mechanism capable of rocking and sliding movements which by its'rocking motion elevates the clamp bar to release the record strips for advancement and by its sliding movement actuates the strip feeding mechanism to advance the record strips.

10. An autographic register wherein continuous record strips are progressively advanced from a supply packet thereof within the register, including strip feeding mechanism for progressively advancing the record strips predetermined distances past a recording position, a sliding actuator therefor, a guide track on the register along which the sliding actuator is movable, detent means with which the actuator is releasably engageable at one limit of its range of movement and from which it is disengaged by a bodily tipping motion, and motion transmitting devices for actuating the strip feeding mechanism by the sliding motion of the actuator.

JOHN T. DAVIDSON. JOHN H. KROEMER.

(References on following page) Number Number Name Date Grunwald Jan. 13, 1931 Lloyd et a1 Feb. 2, 1937 Johnson Nov. 9, 1937 Tippett Mar. 12, 1940 Katz et a1 June 11, 1940 Dawson et a1 Oct. 29, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Dec. 18, 1930 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,457,807. January 4, 1949. JOHN T. DAVIDSON ET AL.

It is hereby certified that errors appear in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 5, line 57, for the word retracing read retracting; line 60, for extereme read extreme; column 8, line 2, for locating read locking and that the said letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 7th day of June, A. D. 1949.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Uommz'ssioner of Patents. 

